Category: 2 Stars

Money to Burn: The Morally Gray (Mar 18)

Hey everyone. This week has been a real struggle for me. Even though March is coming to an end, I still have two midterms looming over me. Why does it feel like midterm season never ends? 🙁

Anyway, let’s talk about the book. As a big thriller fan, I was eager to dive into “Money to Burn” by Ricardo Piglia. While I usually gravitate towards psychological thrillers, I was intrigued by the idea of trying something different this week. 

The story centers around a real-life bank heist in Buenos Aires, 1965. The gang responsible for the heist is quite a mix, with characters like Twisty Bazan, who is battling drug addiction; Crow Mereles, who is sex-obsessed and has a disturbingly young girlfriend, and the intellectually sharp (BUT TRAITOR) Mad Malito. While I might not be a fan of each character individually, I do appreciate a solid found family trope, especially when it’s made up of such diverse personalities. 

Kid Brignone and Blond Gaucho Dorda emerge as central figures in the narrative, sharing a connection so deep it mirrors the closeness of twins, despite their lack of blood relation and different origins. Specifically, Brignone “the Kid” turns his back on his affluent upbringing to embrace a life of crime, contrasting sharply with Dorda, who battles his own inner turmoil and addiction. This difference between them is also shown physically, with Dorda being “heavy, quiet, with a ruddy face and an easy smile” and Brignone being “thin, slightly built, agile, has black hair and a complexion so pallid, it looks as if he’s spent more time in jail than he actually has” (Piglia 1). Yet, this pair, with their contrasting backgrounds, have a profound connection that forms the core of the narrative. Their journey is characterized by a blatant disregard for the law, marked by drug use and impulsive violence. As someone with a somewhat strong moral compass when it comes to the law, it was difficult for me to empathize with their actions, even though their backgrounds shed some light on their motivations. However, Piglia cleverly intertwines these criminal actions with a political undercurrent, revealing corruption within the police forces. This blurs the lines between who is really innocent and guilty, challenging societal perceptions. The deception within the police force is exemplified through the scene of Commissioner Silva with Blanca Galeano. Blanca’s involvement with the gang and subsequent brutal treatment by the police paint a stark picture of violence and exploitation in law enforcement, especially against women. Specifically, in order to get information regarding the robbery, Silva beat up Blanca Galeano — girlfriend of Crow Mereles, — who is 16 years old (15 at the start of the book)! It was hard reading a scene where a young woman gets tortured, but Piglia writes it regardless to show the depth of corruption and moral decay hidden in the seemingly “law-abiding” aspects of society.

Additionally, Piglia offers psychological insights into the main characters, delving into their flaws and troubled pasts. Whether it’s drug addiction, sexual perversions, or mental health issues, each character is portrayed with complexity. Dorda, for instance, is depicted as nervous and paranoid. He hears voices, has been in jail where he is sexually assaulted, and has a long history of violence with the police. Piglia’s dive into the characters’ psychology offers a nuanced understanding of their motivations, instead of just seeing them as “dangerous individuals, antisocial elements, homosexuals and drug addicts” (72). In my view, Piglia attempts to create a moral gray area, particularly with characters like Kid and Dorda. While we may despise their actions, we begin to understand the circumstances that drive them to such extremes, highlighting the societal neglect faced by marginalized individuals. 

I think this brings us to the conclusion of why the money was burnt at the end/middle of the book. To me, the act of burning the money represents a significant turning point in the characters’ psychological journey. Specifically, characters like Dorda perceive it as a decisive moment of liberation from societal constraints, despite society’s condemnation of such an act as typical of “crazed killers and immoral beasts” (Piglia 188). Dorda’s acknowledgment of his mental illness and its social effects, encapsulated in his admission of being a “hopeless case” since childhood (Piglia 188), adds depth to his character and sheds light on his motivation for burning the money. This isn’t a rash decision; rather, it’s a deliberate rejection of a system that has marginalized and excluded him. Dorda’s indifference towards the burned money stems from his belief that the societal system has never offered him assistance or support. In his eyes, as someone who has never benefited from the system, the loss of the money holds no significance.

Questions for Discussion:

Q: What did you think the burning of the money symbolized? Can be general, or for a specific character.

Q: Did you empathize with any of the characters at the end of the book?

Mad Toy: What Do We Live Our Lives For? (Jan 22)

A. Initial Thoughts

Though “Mad Toy” is much shorter than Marcel Proust’s “Combray”, I found it tougher to get through. As I read, I often wanted to stop because it seemed like the story was just going in circles, with Silvio repeatedly failing to break out of poverty. But after finishing the book and taking some time to reflect on it, I began to grasp its underlying theme. In my opinion, the book demonstrates the lives of people struggling with poverty against the backdrop of rapid societal changes in 20th century Buenos Aires (Arlt 2).

B. Important Themes: Going Beyond Our Station & Figuring out Life’s Meaning

Set in early 20th-century Buenos Aires, 14-year old Silvio Astier turns to petty crimes as a means to break free from his impoverished background. He witnesses the toll of poverty on his single mother. Additionally, Silvio yearns for a life where he can enjoy simple pleasures with his sister, like going to the movies or visiting Palermo, as opposed to seeing her “grow pale as she bent over her books studying” (Arlt 100). These aspects of his family life contribute to his sense of urgency in seeking a way out of poverty. However, I think that this ambition, rooted in his challenging upbringing, sometimes leads him to make decisions that result in setbacks, such as being expelled from the military academy as the school “[doesn’t] need smart people here, just dumb brutes who can work” (Arlt 99). It seems that Silvio’s aspiration for a better life is unattainable, a sentiment shown in the phrase “marked by God” (Arlt 21), which demonstrates how an individual’s social class predetermines their struggles and limits their opportunities for success.

Silvio’s (now 15) time at Don Gaetano’s bookstore represents a significant shift in his life. Here, he encounters a path that could lead him out of poverty and offer a more conventional lifestyle. However, I believe Silvio feels a sense of alienation in this new world as he faces many humiliations from Don Gaetano and Dona Maria; one of them being moving furniture in a wheelbarrow on Lavalle Street, where he sees the rich civilians move out of his way “if only to avoid being smeared by the filth [he] was carrying” (Arlt 75). This internal conflict culminates in an act of rebellion: where Silvio tries to start a fire in the bookstore by “grabbing a coal and tossing it at the papers piled up against some shelves loaded with books” (Arlt 81). This moment is a powerful statement against the powerlessness of poverty, where Silvio finally feels liberated and yearns to start “ador[ing] all the beautiful things of Earth” (Arlt 83), instead of being constrained by the money his employers pay him. After this incident, Silvio decides that it would be “the last day [he] worked [at the bookstore]” (Arlt 83), signifying the end of his attempt to conform to a conventional lifestyle. I perceive this as a moment where Silvio chooses to steer away from a past dominated by the pursuit of money, seeking a different path for his future.

This theme becomes particularly evident in Silvio’s interactions with Rengo. When Rengo suggests a scam against his girlfriend’s employer, Senor Vitri, it mirrors the kind of life Silvio is striving to leave behind, reminiscent of his times at the Midnight Horseman Club and with the Gaetanos. Silvio’s decision to betray Rengo is pivotal. More than a mere personal conflict, it represents Silvio’s conscious effort to break away from the detrimental aspects of his past (which was determined by earning money) and carve a new path for himself:

“I know that life will always be extraordinarily beautiful for me. I don’t know whether other people will experience the force of life as I do, but inside of me there is joy, a full, unconscious kind of joy.’’ (Arlt 150) 

In this moment, Silvio has a realization – the pursuit of money can no longer dictate the course of his life. He recognizes the need to embark on a new journey, one that promises a different kind of fulfillment and joy.

C. Concluding Thoughts

Through the character of Silvio, Arlt shows us the societal challenges faced in 20th century Buenos Aires. I see the narrative as capturing the essence of a society undergoing significant transition, portraying the struggles of individuals like Silvio who find themselves in the midst of rapid urbanization and sweeping societal changes (Arlt 1-2).

D. Questions for Discussion

Q: Why did Senor Souza (the occult doctor) not give Silvio a job? Why did he call him “mad” (surmenage)?

Q: Why did Silvio hate Lucio so much when they were younger? Is it just youthful annoyance, or do you think it’s something deeper?

Q: What was the purpose of the scene with Silvio’s interaction with the man at the hotel? Was it to show the different lives of outcasts in Buenos Aries?

Q: What was the purpose of Enrique’s character? He was shown in part 1 but never makes an appearance again, other than in the conversation between Lucio and Silvio.

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